Once upon our times: Waynesboro street work

Wednesday

Mar 26, 2014 at 2:00 PM

Some projects are quick and easy, others, not so much. Each day I tackle a project of one size or another, some take minutes, others days and some weeks.For Waynesboro 100 years ago, the major town project was street paving. We’ve spent time in this column on this street project last year and we will spend time on and off with it during this year as well.

March 31, 1914

Resume Street Work Tomorrow, He Says

Geo. B. Stucker, Harrisburg, of the firm of Stucker Bros. Co., the contractors who have the contract for paving Main street, arrived here, this afternoon, and announces that he will begin work on the completion of the paving tomorrow morning.

He will have as his foreman Frank Williams, Harrisburg, who will succeed Cyrus J. Rumler, Chambersburg.

Tomorrow the concrete mixer will be pulled out of its winter quarters and hauled to West Main street and erected in front of the residence of J.J. Oller.

Workmen will be put to work on the sub grading of the north side of Main street between Cleveland avenue and Grant street and concrete will be laid there as soon as the ground is ready for it.

It is probable that the laying of brick will be commenced this week and continued until the railroads are reached.

It will be remembered that the north side of Main street has been paved as far west as the Weagly building, while the concreting has been finished almost to Cleveland avenue.

After the bricks have been laid to the railroads, the north side of East Main street, from Broad street to the borough limits will be paved. After that the work on West Main street, between the railroads and Fairview avenue, will be undertaken.

All the work will be completed by June 1, if the contractors plans do not go wrong.

Mr. Stucker says he will re-employ men who worked for him last year, in preference to others, if they make application for work.

He will engage a large number of men as he wants to complete the work in the shortest time possible.

April 1, 1914

Fifty Men Ready for Street-paving Work

The resumption of street paving work, which was to have started, today, was deferred until later, on account of rain.

Although it was raining, early this morning, about fifty men reported for work and were eager to use the pick and shovel, but the bed of the unpaved highway was too wet and muddy and no work was done with the exception of cleaning off the concrete base between a point just west of the Washington house and Cleveland avenue.

A half-dozen men were engaged on this job.

When this stretch of concrete base was cleaned off, all work was abandoned for the day.

It is thought that some excavating can be done on the rough grade between Grant street and the railroads, tomorrow.

The large concrete mixer was hauled out of the shed and erected in front of the residence of J.J. Oller.

The work, today, was in charge of the new foreman, Frank Williams, Harrisburg, who will remain here until the street paving is completed.

Contractor Stucker will remain here for a few days.

The road roller was put into service, this afternoon, and was used in plowing up the macadam between Grant and Franklin streets.

A force of men will be put to work hauling the macadam away, tomorrow morning.

April 2, 1914

Get Street Ready for Laying Bricks

With the sun shining, this morning, work on the street paving was begun in earnest and continued throughout the day.

Thirty men were started to digging up the street between Grant and Franklin streets and hauling the macadam away.

Eight teams were used in hauling the macadam off the highway and were kept on the go at all times. The macadam was put at different places on West Second street.

By the beginning of next week all the macadam will be hauled off as far west as the railroad, after which the north side of East Main street from Broad street east will be dug up and the macadam hauled away.

Sand was distributed in piles over the concrete base between the Washington house and Cleveland avenue in preparation for the brick pavers.

It has not been announced when the brick pavers will resume their work. The two colored men who laid the bricks before are expected to arrive here at any time and will be put to work immediately, weather permitting.

Material is on hand for the concrete and the putting down of concrete will be resumed as soon as the mud on the street dries up. At present it is too wet to lay concrete base.

“Once Upon Our Times” by the Rev. Lee E. Daywalt is a compilation of local newspaper articles from 100 years ago. It appears weekly in The Record Herald. Daywalt is pastor of New Baltimore Church of God and administrator of Preserving Our Heritage Archives and Museum, 11191 South Mountain, 11191 South Mountain Road, South Mountain. The museum is open from 8 a.m. to noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and at other times by appointment. For information, call 762-2367 or visit:

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